Correlation of D-dimer and Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has impacted daily life and medical practices around the world. Hospitals are continually making observations about this unique population as it relates to laboratory data and outcomes. Plasma D-dimer levels have been shown to be promising as a prognostic factor for outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

MUlticenter STudy of tissue plasminogen activator (alteplase) use in COVID-19 severe respiratory failure (MUST COVID): A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Few therapies exist to treat severe COVID-19 respiratory failure once it develops. Given known diffuse pulmonary microthrombi on autopsy studies of COVID-19 patients, we hypothesized that tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may improve pulmonary function in COVID-19 respiratory failure.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective, observational study of patients with confirmed COVID-19 and severe respiratory failure who received systemic tPA (alteplase) was performed.

Wittmann Patch : Superior Closure for the Open Abdomen.

Introduction: Damage control laparotomy (DCL) is a life-saving surgical technique, but the resultant open abdomen (OA) carries serious morbidity/mortality. Many methods are utilized to manage OAs, but discrepancy exists in distinguishing closure from coverage techniques. We observed a difference in our DCL patient outcomes managed with the Wittmann Patch (WP) closure device versus the more popular ABThera (AB) coverage device.

Does Human Amnion Membrane Prevent Postoperative Abdominal Adhesions?

Background: Adhesions are bands of tissue that form postoperatively after intra-abdominal surgery. Adhesions cause significant morbidity and despite ongoing research no agent or method has been shown to completely prevent adhesions. Human amnion-derived matrix is a complex tissue matrix derived from human placenta and has been used in other areas of surgery to promote healing and decrease scar tissue formation.

Early outcomes with utilization of tissue plasminogen activator in COVID-19-associated respiratory distress: A series of five cases.

Background: Coronavirus patients demonstrate varying degrees of respiratory insufficiency; many will progress to respiratory failure with a severe version of acute respiratory distress syndrome refractory to traditional supportive strategies. Providers must consider alternative therapies to deter or prevent the cascade of decompensation to fulminant respiratory failure.

Methods: This is a case-series of five COVID-19 positive patients who demonstrated severe hypoxemia, declining respiratory performance, and escalating oxygen requirements.

Monte Carlo simulations of thin hydrocarbon films: composition heterogeneity and structure at the solid-liquid and liquid-vapor interfaces.

The structural properties of 10 nm thick lubricant films consisting of binary and ternary n-alkane mixtures (8 ≤ n ≤ 12) adsorbed on a structureless metal substrate were studied for several temperatures and compositions using Monte Carlo simulations. Configurational-bias Monte Carlo identity switch moves are essential to sample the spatial distribution in these mixtures. Longer alkanes are found to preferentially adsorb onto the substrate while shorter alkanes are enriched at the liquid-vapor interface.